I'll Always Take Care of You
by smolderhalderxo
Summary: Oh no. This couldn't be happening. Not to me and not now! What was I going to do? I saw stars behind my eyes and the earth swiftly coming up to meet my face. My life was over. What was I going to do? One bad thing after another seemed to happen to me. Will I ever catch a break? My life is over. Or so I thought.
1. Chapter 1

I'll Always Take Care of You

***This is my first fanfiction ever! Please be kind! I hope you like it because I have big plans for this story. It ****would be much appreciated if you could do a little R&R. Also, characters from the show will appear in this story as will some events. In this story, Carol never had Sophia. She has no children. However, it will not necessarily follow season by season. As we all know, that would be copyrighting and I'm not about that. This story will be rated T but may later change to M. I sometimes have a foul mouth and I apologize. Now that my little rant is over, please enjoy the story :) **

***DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS OR PLOTS***

Chapter 1:

_Overview_

It's been about three months since the zombie apocalypse started and I think I'm even more miserable now than before the world went to shit. I can't escape him no matter how hard I try. The camp we're staying at has become a home to us, the people we share it with our family. But no matter how hard to stay away from him by either cooking or cleaning, he's always right there. I should want to be around him, right? I mean he is my husband.

How do I even begin to explain Ed Peletier? First off, marrying him was the worst mistake I have ever made. Getting beaten every day of our marriage is not happiness. It's misery. He's big, mean and has one hell of a right hook. I should have trusted my gut all those years ago. Those good looks and charm meant trouble. Unfortunately with the world ending, I have to stick with Ed. He's my only means of survival. Although at this rate, my husband may be the one to kill me instead of the walkers.

_Present Day_

One of the best things about Georgia is that it's always sunny. Even in a world as messed up as the one we live in now, you can always count on the sun. Speaking of the sun, that's the reason I'm up now but also because I have to help make breakfast for the rest of the camp. Quietly, I slipped out of the tent Ed and I shared and made my way over to Lori. I stretched and found I was sore everywhere. I tried to block out the events of last night but to no avail, the memories continued to flash in front of my eyes. A few bottles of alcohol were found on the last run and Glenn decided to bring them back for us. If you thought Ed was mean sober, you should see him when he's drunk. I just gotten comfortable on the floor of the small tent we shared when Ed came stumbling inside, clearly obliterated. Before I could utter a word, Ed threw himself at me. He wanted one thing and one thing only. At this point, I knew better than to say or do anything. Instead, I let him continue his conquest of me. It was safer for me no matter how much I hated it.

"Carol, are you alright?" Lori's voice shook me out of my thoughts. She looked as tired as I was.

"I'm just tired, that's all." I hated lying to her. I suspected the whole camp knew what Ed was doing to me but they never brought it up. Ed was a big man. I couldn't look Lori in the eyes after that for fear of giving everything away. I was never a good liar. To get my mind off last night, I started making breakfast. Our food supply was low but it was enough to last a few more days. Glenn would have to make a run to the city soon.

Scavenging the woods for food didn't give us many options. The walkers tended to scare the game away and not all of us were sure what plants were poisonous. We got lucky though sometimes. Today for instance seemed like it was going to go well. Daryl, our camp's hunter and my new found friend, stumbled out of the woods with a few squirrels hanging from his belt. If anyone were to survive all this mess, it would be Daryl Dixon. He's tough as nails that one. Over the course of our stay, Daryl and I have formed a tentative friendship. It has started out slow but we're gradually getting closer. Daryl isn't one to open to anyone except for his brother Merle and even that is a rare occasion. Ed doesn't know of course. He would kill me if he knew. Literally. He would try to hurt Daryl but we all know he can take care of himself. Daryl walked by me and gave a slight nod of his head. In return I gave him a small smile. It wasn't much but it was enough. He's the first person I felt like I could connect with in a very long time. Since the first day I met the grimy, sweaty, abrasive man, I knew there was something special about him. Even if all he did was cuss and grumble about how much he hated everyone.

Thankfully, the day passed uneventfully. No one was hurt and not a single walker was spotted. It helps that we're very secluded. Night fell upon us and we were all gathered around a small, barely lit fire. Too much light attracts those flesh eaters. Everyone was quietly laughing and telling stories. It was nice to relax a little and do something semi normal. Thankfully, Ed went to bed early that night. It was right about the time we were all about to turn in for the night when a piercing scream broke through the silence. I knew that voice anywhere even if I didn't want to.

Ed.

"Shit."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Hi guys! I wasn't sure if I was going to get an update in this weekend but since it's raining and the creative juices are flowing, I figured I'd write all day :) The response I got to the first chapter was pretty shocking. 160 views, 3 follows, and 3 favorites?! You are all awesome and the support is much appreciated! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter & if you have any feedback, please don't hesitate to shoot me a review :)**

***DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD, ITS CHARACTERS, OR ITS PLOTS*******

I, Carol Peletier, have never felt so free, but also so alone in my entire life. All I could see was red. It was everywhere I looked. The ground and bushes were covered in it. Red clouded my vision as I looked at the now mangled body of what used to be my husband. I gasped quietly but it was loud enough that the walker chowing down on Ed stopped what he was doing and advanced towards me. I was overwhelmed and I was trapped. I knew the rest of the camp was on their way but would they get to me in time? I fervently hoped so. When we heard Ed's scream, my feet carried me faster than I thought possible. I hoped and prayed Rick and Shane would get there before I was walker chow.

My legs decided they didn't want to hold me up any longer. The ground started coming up faster to meet my face. My hands darted out in front of me and searched for anything to keep me upright. They came in contact with a strong arm and I was immediately grateful. However, that moment of gratitude was short lived when those arms yanked me back and a loud, snarling sound came very close to my neck. The rest of the camp had finally arrived and I completely disregarded who grabbed me in the all the mayhem. I now knew it was a walker. I felt so stupid for not paying any attention.

I felt teeth snapping incredibly close to my neck. My struggling was what kept it from making me its next meal. If I wanted to stay alive I was going to have to get away and fast. I kicked and thrashed wildly, doing everything I could to get away from the gnashing teeth that were steadily inching towards my jugular. Just as the gnarly teeth of the walker was about to sink into my neck, I found myself on the ground and the walker dead on the ground behind me. Grateful to be alive but confused as to who saved me, I surveyed the area around me. Bodies were strewn everywhere but there were still more walkers coming. Although the only body I paid attention to was the one that just tried to eat me. An arrow protruded out of its eye socket. I knew exactly who killed that walker and saved my life. No one has that kind of a precision with an arrow except for one. Daryl.

In that moment, I realized becoming friends with Daryl Dixon was the best decision I have ever made. Speaking of Daryl I began to get nervous when he was nowhere in sight. Had something happened to him? Did a walker get him? Oh God. Please no. Not him. The thought of him ceasing to exist caused an unfamiliar ache to radiate through my chest. I wanted to lie down and die but I didn't understand it. I had barely known Daryl for a month. What was happening to me? Why did I feel this way?

I couldn't dwell on it any longer. If I died I know Daryl would be pissed whether he was dead or alive. He was always so keen on keeping me safe. I had to fight. It's what he would have wanted. I had to keep going no matter how much I didn't want to. I scrambled to my feet and scanned the area around me. There were still walkers everywhere. How are we ever going to get out of this mess?

I needed to do something. The rest of my group was so why shouldn't I be? All of the men and even some of the women were shooting the undead. I've been trained to use a gun and it was time to put that training to good use. A shotgun was within reach. I felt the barrel in my hand when a pair of arms encircled my waist. I dropped the gun and a shrill scream bubbled up in my throat threatening to escape until I heard a husky voice whisper softly in my ear.

"It's a'right Carol. I got ya. Ya safe with me, " Daryl said.

Relief flooded through me. Daryl was alive. He was really okay. I could touch him and see him. I didn't realize how I relieved I felt after knowing he was still alive. He must have seen me trying to join the fight and grabbed me.

"I need ya ta stay with Lori in the RV. It's the safest place for ya. Don't want nothin' happenin to ya now."

Normally I would protest and tell him I could take care of myself but the seriousness in his voice and face stopped me in my tracks. I silently complied. While Daryl covered me, I sprinted to the RV, flung the door open, and situated myself near Lori. She gave me a spare gun after we barricaded the door. We were ready for those bastards if they broke through the door. A knock at the door startled us. I shakily moved to the door. Walkers normally didn't knock but you could never be too careful. Slowly, I reached my hand towards the knob, gun ready if need be. Lori cocked her gun back in waiting until a muffled voice came from the other side of the door.

"Carol, it's me, Daryl. Ya'll can come out now."

A sigh escaped my mouth. With hurried hands, Lori and I moved the stuff out from in front of the door. I flung the door open and flew straight into the arms of a very surprised Daryl while Lori moved straight to Rick. If you knew Daryl Dixon you would know that he doesn't get surprised very often. Daryl stiffened when I wrapped my arms around him but he didn't push me away thankfully. He didn't like to be touched. He had a bad childhood that much was clear. Although he never spoke about it I still knew. We had an uncanny way of sensing things about each other.

It didn't matter that he didn't hug me back. I'm just glad he let me hold him. We all had a close call. Those walkers could have killed all of us but somehow we made it out alive. Ever since the apocalypse, God and I haven't been on the best terms. But today led me to believe that He had a different plan in store for us and for that I was thankful. I surveyed the area around me. Bodies littered the ground. The majority of the bodies were walkers but some were from our camp. People I had grown to care about were once again taken from me.

"Carol?" Rick's voice tentative voice broke me out of my reverie.

"Yeah Rick?"

"I'm so sorry for your loss," he said with sorrow in his voice.

I reluctantly broke away from Daryl's warmth and gave Rick a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

Rick gave me an equally confused look and uttered one word.

"Ed."

I froze. I couldn't believe I forgot about Ed. My husband. Well my dead husband now. In all the chaos, I forgot the reason I almost got eaten.

_A shrill scream pierced the air. I took off running, away from the fire, camp, and the safety of the others. I stumbled into the space where I found a walker chewing on Ed._

I looked over Rick's shoulder and saw Ed's body. My hand went to my mouth as my knees buckled. He was really dead. My husband. The man I spent the last 11 years with. I should be shattered that he's gone. My heart should be in two pieces right now. Instead of feeling heartache, I felt a huge weight being lifted off me. I felt a certain sense of freedom. He would never hurt me ever again. If I was so happy with his death why was I sobbing? Oh that's right. The only sense of normalcy I knew was gone. Another person close to me was torn away from the world so suddenly. I wasn't sad about losing Ed. I was sad about the constant death we had to live with.

I don't know how long I sat there by his body. I didn't even know I was cold until a blanket was draped around my shoulders. I looked up and saw Daryl's grim face. He sat beside me and didn't say a word. I was grateful. I was tired of talking.

"Ya know what's gonna happen now right?" Daryl's soft voice startled me. It was silent for so long that his voice sounded like thunder.

"I know. I'm going to take care of it." The steel in my voice surprised the both of us.

Daryl nodded his head, stood up, and put a comforting hand on my shoulder before he walked away to talk with the others about what they were going to do with the bodies of our people.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day for all of us.

**Thanks for reading! I'm proud with this chapter if I do say so myself. The next chapter will focus on the aftermath of the camp attack. I'm sorry for the lack of Caryl in this chapter but I want a gradual build up of their friendship. It didn't evolve overnight lol. I hope you all stick with this story and me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you could be so kind as to do a little R&R, I would appreciate it. I'll update as often as possible but with finals coming up soon, it may be difficult but I will do my best!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so sorry for the wait! I haven't had my computer and school is so hectic. Finals are next week so hopefully I'll be able to update more often! I'm so happy to get this chapter out. I've missed writing and hearing from my lovely followers. I hope you like this chapter and don't forget to R&R! :)**

***DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD, ITS CHARACTERS, OR ITS PLOTS***

* * *

**Chapter 3**

My head was out of the tent before the vomit reached the back of my throat. I darted toward the tree trunk before my stomach tried to expel what wasn't there. I had been feeling nauseous since yesterday. It must have been the fish Andrea caught. I half expected Ed to start screaming at me and hit me for being loud so early in the morning. I looked over and yesterday's event came rushing back to me in an array of unwanted pictures. Walkers were everywhere and Ed had huge chunks taken out of him. He was a goner.

Today was going to be awful. The sun wasn't even fully up and it was hot and humid with the temperature steadily climbing. Even though it was barely dawn, the rest of the camp was wide awake. The men all stood in a circle probably trying to figure out our next move. Daryl had his back to me but he must have realized I was up because as soon as I took a step outside of our…my tent, he looked right at me. Those piercing blue eyes seemed to see right into my soul and for some inexplicable reason I had to avert my eyes. A strange feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, a fluttering that normally is not there. It must be nerves due to the task ahead of us.

We had to put our fallen people down. Once you have been bitten, no matter how mangled you are, you will come back as a walker. That is a fate worse than death. Any type of blow to the brain will permanently kill anyone who has been infected. T-Dog, Rick, and Daryl were going around to the bodies with various sharp objects and hitting them in the head before they woke up. It was a tedious task but someone has to do it. I looked all around me but didn't really see anything. My mind was in a daze. However, my mind suddenly became very clear when Daryl walked over to Ed's body. I ran over to him and just looked at him. I didn't know how to ask for the hatchet. How do you ask for a weapon to kill your already dead husband? Thankfully Daryl knew what I wanted.

"Ya sure 'bout this?" Daryl said.

"He was my husband. I have to," I replied.

"Well a'right. If ya need me, I'll be right behind ya." Daryl put his hand on mine as he passed me the hatchet. His hand lingered longer than necessary and a warm, tingly feeling spread from my finger tips to the rest of my body.

I took a firm hold of the hatchet and swung down. Bile began to rise in my throat as I heard the sickening crunch of crushed bones. What little brain Ed had started seeping through the newly made crevices in his face. The first hit both disgusted and liberated me. It suddenly hit me that this man was no longer here and he would never hurt me again. I was really free. However, the anger I felt towards him for how awful he was to me and how evil he was started to rise and I started swinging faster and faster, harder and harder. I lost track of how many times I drove that hatchet into his brain stem. I would have kept going had it not been for a pair of strong, sweaty arms that stopped me from delivering another blow. I didn't realize I was sobbing until Daryl pried the weapon from my bloody hands and held me tight against his chest.

I honestly thought I cried for hours but it was really only minutes. The sobs that violently wracked my whole body gradually slowed so now I was just sniffling. Daryl said nothing. He was kind enough to just let me cry. Or he didn't know how to deal with a crying woman. Either way it was nice to be held. Shane and Glenn came to get Ed's body and load it into the truck with the others so they could be buried. Our people get buried. Walkers get roasted. We would have a ceremony later on this afternoon to honor those we lost.

I was half sitting in Daryl's lap when a violent wave of nausea hit me. I barely had time to get a foot away from him when I got sick again. This time I blamed it on the gore I had a hand in creating. I didn't even have to turn around to see that it was Daryl who was rubbing my back. He had a very distinct smell. It was a combination of a musky, woodsy type smell with a hint of sweat and leather. It was a heady scent that thankfully distracted me from my nausea.

On shaky legs I stood up and would have fallen down if Daryl's quick hunter reflexes had not caught me.

"Ya a'right? You ain't lookin' to good," he mumbled.

"Just a little nauseous. Putting a hatchet through your husband's head tends not to agree with a person's stomach," I said.

He rolled his eyes and tugged on my hand, leading me to the water by the quarry.

"Come on. We gon' get ya cleaned up before the service. The youngins would prolly think you were a walker," he smirked.

The way down to the water was rocky and steep and with the most recent walker attack, Daryl was rigid and alert. He still held my hand as he dragged me down path but he didn't seem to notice. I noticed. His hand was rough and warm. There were calluses that clearly developed from years of manual labor and time in the woods. The tingle from earlier was present in my fingers once again but I wasn't complaining. His hand on mine distracted me from the horrors of earlier. We finally reached two rocks that were large enough for us to sit on but were also slightly in the water. He sat me down and took out the handkerchief that never left his back pocket. He dipped the cloth into the water and grabbed my hands once again, gently massaging them with the wet cloth.

"I'm sorry bout' Ed." Neither one of us had said anything for quite some time so his admission startled me.

"Don't be. I'm not. I wish I had the nerve to do it instead of the walkers," I whispered, looking down at the red tinged water.

"Ya right. I ain't sorry. That dumb prick deserved what he got. I knew the minute ya'll came to this camp that he wasn't no good. I knew he hit you and stuff but I never saw it so there was no hard proof. I didn't wanna start no trouble here cause ya know how Shane gets. He can be a real hard ass when he wants to be. It pissed me off every time you came outta your tent with a new bruise or cut. I shoulda said something or done something. No one deserves that. My Pa used ta beat up on my Ma so I knew the signs. She didn't stick around much longer after he started raising his fists. After she hauled ass, Pa started taking his anger out on me. Merle was never home enough to get hit. Sometimes, while Pop was beating me, I'd wish my momma would come back and get me outta that Hell hole. She did teach me to respect a lady. That was one of the very few lessons she ever taught me and it stuck. I ain't sorry about Ed, Carol, but I'm sorry you had to deal with the consequences. Ya too nice to go through something like that."

That was the most I had ever heard Daryl in the few months I've known him. We're friends, sort of, but he's still never talked that much. Plus bringing up his past was something I never expected from him. Daryl is a very closed off person and hates sharing anything about his personal life. As sad as his childhood was, I can't help but feel slightly giddy by his confession. He clearly trusted me enough to share some of his family history. By that time, he moved up my arms with the wet rag and started cleaning my face. For a man who could kill anything that moved with a click of his cross bow, Daryl had very gentle hands.

"He wasn't always like that. At one point in time, Ed was the perfect boyfriend. He was charming, doting, and kind. Everyone loved him. He was all I could have hoped for and I thought I found my Prince Charming. And then the wedding happened. A week after the honeymoon everything changed. We moved into Ed's apartment and I was cooking dinner. I spilled a little on the stove and he threw a fit. That was the first time he ever hit me. After that, I got hit at least once a day. It didn't help that he raped me as well. At the beginning I told him no constantly but he just hit me and told me to shut up. Eventually I learned to keep my mouth shut. It was easier that way." My voice trailed off in the end. My hands ended up back in Daryl's again. I felt them tighten around mine after I told him my story.

"That son of a –"

"Daryl. It doesn't matter. He's gone and he can't hurt me anymore. It's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything. No one knew the extent of the abuse. I never told anyone until today. You're the first one."

Something seemed to shift in our friendship in that moment. We would never be the same again. Our meek and brief awkward interactions would no longer occur. The talk by the quarry changed something within us. At that moment, Daryl pulled me into a bone crushing hug and just held me there. Time stood still and I would have been content just to stay there all day with him. However, we had a service to attend. I broke away from his warm embrace and told him we had to go back. He grumbled but complied.

We arrived back at the camp just as Rick and Shane finished putting the last body into the graves. We gathered around in a circle. We didn't hold hands or anything but the closeness of our bodies gave us a sense of hope and unity. For once, we all felt a family. Rick said a few, kind general words and then the families or friends of the deceased were given the opportunity to say something if they chose to. When it came around to me, I said nothing about Ed. I had nothing to say. Daryl stepped closer to me and I immediately felt better. The service wrapped up and the graves were filled in. A group meeting was called afterwards about what we were to do next. A unanimous vote decided we were going to back up and head towards Savannah. Hopefully a smaller town would mean less trouble for us. We packed up the cars, I had to throw up (again), and we were on our way by about 3. We wanted to leave with plenty of daylight left.

"I want ya to ride with me. It'll be easier to keep an eye out on ya." Daryl's voice startled me.

"Sure. Just let me get my bag."

I gathered up my meager belongings and hopped into Daryl's Jeep. We started down the mountain and hit the highway. The slowly setting sun gave us hope of a new day. I looked at Daryl and he was already staring at me. The fluttering in my stomach returned and for once in my whole life, I was happy.

* * *

**So what did you guys think?! Do you think the fluttering in her stomach is love or something else? You'll have to stick with me if you want to know what happens ;) This was definitely a longer chapter because there was so much to put in there. Although this was an important chapter for Caryl, it was also kind of a filler chapter. I hope you all like it and leave me a review! It would be much appreciated! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys!** **I am so sorry for the wait! Finals are done (I aced them by the way :)) but a new semester started so it's still crazy ): I would have updated sooner because I've had the time but the creative juices just haven't been flowing. I appreciate all of the reviews and follows I've been getting form you guys. It really means a lot to me! I hope you all like this chapter and continue to stay with me and my story! Don't forget to R&R :)**

***DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD, ITS CHARACTERS, OR PLOTS***

**Chapter 4**

* * *

***Daryl's POV***

I hated silence. It was awkward. I never knew how to be social. As a Dixon, people tended to shy away from us. Guess we weren't "respectable" enough for society. To hell with those people. They probably got what they deserved when the world went to shit. Assholes.

I just wish there was some way I could get Carol to talk to me. She's been quiet and sick the whole ride. We've been driving for a good part of the day now. Carol says we're friends but I just think she's lying to me. It's just pity. It has to be. No nice lady like Carol would ever think twice about scum like me.

"It's getting darker Daryl," her soft voice broke through the awkward silence that filled the cab of the Jeep and almost startled me off the road.

"I know. Why don't ya put this rag out the window to signal the others and we'll pull over for the night. You ain't lookin' too good. No offense."

***Carol's POV***

Our whole convoy stopped about 10 minutes later right inside a little town. The total population before the ZA hit must have only been about 2500 people. I couldn't imagine what it was now. We found a small motel that would have to suffice for the night and a gas station that was virtually untouched. The town was so small that most people overlooked it. It sucked for them but it was lucky for us. The men had the women and children stay with the cars while they went ahead and scouted. They came back about a half an hour later and deemed the area safe. We grabbed what we needed for the night and headed towards for the motel. For it being so small, it was actually really nice. We tried to cram as many people in a room as we could so we weren't separated. Daryl, Andrea, T-Dog, and I shared a room. Andrea and I offered to share a bed but the men felt weird about sleeping in the same bed. Typical men.

By my guess it was about 9 or 10 when we finally went to bed. The curtains were drawn and the windows and doors were barricaded. I offered to sleep on the floor but no one was having that. Daryl was kind enough to let me share a bed with him. I could tell he was nervous. I was too. It was the first time in a long time I had shared a bed with another man besides Ed and the first time I had shared a bed with a man who wasn't a monster. For a small motel, the beds were actually quite comfy. Daryl and I slept on the extreme edges of the bed, neither one of us wanting to impose on the others personal space.

We were both exhausted. Daryl is a huge part of our group and shoulders so much responsibility. With his exceptional hunting and tracking skills, familiarity with the forest, and overall amazing survival skills, he is one of our most useful members. It would be a tragedy to lose him. The more I thought about losing him, the tighter my chest tightens. He's come to mean so much to me. I couldn't lose him now or ever for that matter. I needed to stop thinking and get some sleep. Even though all I did was sit in a car, I could barely keep my eyes open. Something was definitely wrong with me. The more I think about it, the more I worry. I know these symptoms. I've experienced them before. I think I'm pregnant.

I think my heart is going to stop. I've been pregnant before but Ed never let me make it full term. In a way, I was always glad. I never wanted a child to grow up in that kind of environment; one full of violence and hate instead of love and care. This baby was going to have an even worse life. Constantly fighting every day just to stay alive is no way to live. However, I felt sicker just by thinking of not having this baby. If I really am pregnant, which I think I am, I'm keeping it. I've always wanted to be a mother and now was my chance, apocalypse or not.

Until the morning and until I got a pregnancy test, there was nothing I could do except sleep. I curled up in a tight little ball and fell instantly asleep.

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"Shut up woman! You'll never be anything but a whore! You're so stupid. Can't believe I married your stupid ass."

His fist came down hard against my cheek. I knew my cheekbone was shattered as soon as his fist made contact. Ed held me down and started ripping off my clothes. I screamed and thrashed beneath him but he just hit me harder. He smirked at me and was about to plunge into me when I felt someone shaking me.

"Carol? Carol! Wake up!"

It was a dream. Just a dream. Ed wasn't alive anymore to do that to me. But it felt so real. I was sure it was.

I started sobbing and shaking back and forth. I vaguely registered Daryl calling my name but I couldn't respond. I was still shaken from the dream.

Warm arms enveloped me all of a sudden. I knew they were belonged to Daryl but I was surprised. He didn't touch anyone. He rarely touched me and when he did, it was a hand on the shoulder or a nudge of an elbow. The only time he ever really touched me was when he hugged me at the quarry. After that, contact from him almost ceased.

His hug was warm and welcoming. It instantly made me feel better.

"Carol? You a'right?" Daryl whispered so as to not wake up Andrea and T-Dog. I'm surprised they slept through my screaming. They must have been really tired.

"Just a nightmare, that's all. I didn't mean to wake you," I said.

"That wasn't nothin'. Ya looked scared ta death. Ya wanna talk about it?"

I fidgeted. I know Daryl knew what Ed used to do to me but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to tell him.

"I don't want to burden you with my problems, Daryl. You've done enough for me."

Daryl took my face softly in his hands. I started to flinch away. I wasn't used to be touched in a gentle manner but I didn't want to offend him. He was being so kind to me.

"Carol, ya ain't a burden. Don't talk like that, ya hear?"

I nodded my head. My eyes started to droop and before I knew it, Daryl must have noticed because he started doing something else very uncharacteristic of him. I was being pulled down on the bed, my head lying on Daryl's chest. I could tell this was way out of Daryl's comfort zone because he was as stiff as a board. I didn't want to freak him out so I started to pull away. He wasn't having that though. His arms only held me tighter.

"It's a'right Carol. Jus give me a minute. I ain't used to this. I finally felt him relax about ten minutes later. We covered up and curled up together, my head on his broad chest and his arms wrapped securely around my waist. We fell asleep soon after lying down. I slept with no nightmares for the rest of the night and dreamed only of babies and crossbows.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to the sun shining and the birds chirping. I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. I had the best night's sleep and it was all thanks to Daryl. I looked over at him and he was still sound asleep. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. The worry lines all but disappeared from his usually hard face and his always rigid body was in a relaxed stance. I would have been content to watch him sleep all day but my stomach had other plans. The nausea hit me like a truck and I almost didn't make it to the bathroom. I was 99% sure I was pregnant but I just had to get a pregnancy test today to make sure. Thankfully we were going to scavenge the town we were staying in today. Hopefully, I could find a pharmacy and get a test there. I walked out of the bathroom with my hand over my stomach. I felt Daryl's eyes on me but he didn't say a word. I could sense his worry. Before anyone could say anything, Rick knocked on our door and had us get a move on. Burning daylight meant burning our chance of survival for that day.

Somehow Shane acquired a map of the town and spread it over the hood of one of the cars. We were split up into teams and sent to cover different parts of the town. No one was to go alone. Daryl and I were a team and were thankfully sent to get whatever we could from the pharmacy. Maybe luck was on my side. It was a short, quiet walk to the pharmacy. Neither one of us wanted to bring up last night.

"Daryl, about last-"

"Don't worry `bout it."

"Damn it! Would you let me get this out?!" I huffed.

Daryl just looked at me. I was a quiet person and normally didn't say much. He knew I meant business.

"I wanted to say thank you. Most people over look me but you don't. If I had woken up screaming with anyone else, they would have told me to shut the hell up or else I was going to bring down all the walkers on us. You made sure I was ok. You cared about me! No one has ever done that for me before. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. "At the end of my speech, I gave him a kiss on the cheek and continued to make my way to the pharmacy.

Daryl finally got his bearings and walked ahead of me. Here he goes again, protecting me as always. I rolled my eyes.

The doors were unlocked, thankfully. Now we didn't have to break the glass and attract walkers. Daryl walked in first with his crossbow locked and loaded and scoped the place out; it was clean. We split up and got to work on gathering everything we deemed useful. I could tell he was hesitant to let me go off by myself but I had my knife in case anything happened and he wasn't far away if I needed help. Plus, we had to get what we could and get out. I volunteered to get the feminine products, knowing it freaked him out.

I got the feminine items along with any painkillers I could find, bandages, and I checked the prescriptions that were already filled and grabbed them all. You never know what could come in handy. Things that seemed useless before the zombie apocalypse may be the only thing standing in the way of life and death now.

I finally made it to the aisle I was searching for. There was only one box left and I grabbed it and shoved it in my bag as I heard the sounds of heavy boots coming towards me. I assumed it was Daryl but boy was I wrong. I was so engrossed in looking at the box that held contents that could possibly change my life that I didn't hear the shuffling that went along with the boots. The walker came out of nowhere and lunged at me. He fell on top of me and started snapping furiously at my jaw. He was a big man before he turned and was difficult to get off me. I struggled to get my knife from my boot. I didn't think I was going to get it in time so I started screaming.

"DARYL!"

The thudding of boots momentarily distracted the snarling walker on top of me and I was able to get my knife free. Just as Daryl was about to shoot the walker, I plunged my knife in the walker's head, effectively killing it.

Daryl shoved it off me and promptly pulled me up and away from the body.

"Oh God Carol, you a'right? Ya didn't get bit did ya? Please tell me you're a'right," Daryl frantically asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Let's just get out of here," I said slightly shaken.

We all met up back at our cars and put our day's spoils in the vehicles. I wanted to get this pregnancy test out of the way so I said I was using the bathroom real quick and I was to be back in a few minutes. I pulled out the test and peed on the little stick as was instructed. The next three minutes were the longest minutes of my life. I glanced down at the stick and read the results: pregnant. I felt bile rise up in my throat and promptly threw up in the grass. I tossed the stick and box into the woods and made my way back to the gang. My face must have looked horrible because Daryl dashed over to me and looked about ready to freak out. Before he could get a word out, I put my hand up to stop him from saying whatever it was he wanted to stay. What I had to say was more important.

"Daryl, we have a problem. I'm pregnant."

**There you have it! Like I said, I'm so sorry about the wait. I'm struggling with this story right now but I want to continue writing for you all. Your reviews, favorites, and follows mean so much to me. I finally understand why authors want reviews. They really do help. I hope you all liked this chapter because it took a while to get out lol. The beginning was hard to write but once I got to the middle, it really took off. Please stick with me. I hope you like this chapter and R&R, just like always :)**


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